Systems and Methods for Detecting Corporate Financial Transactions

1. A method of electronically processing a check comprising: scanning a check received by a merchant at a merchant location to obtain information about the check that facilitates electronic processing of the check wherein the information about the check includes a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) line imprinted on the check; determining that the check is a corporate check when the MICR line comprises an auxiliary on-us field; indicating that the check is the corporate check when the auxiliary on-us field is present; and communicating the indication and the information about the cheek to a check processing service that authorizes or declines a check transaction associated with the check; wherein the check processing service: applies selected corporate rules to the check transaction when the indication indicates that the check is the corporate check; notifies the merchant to process the check as a paper check when the check transaction fails the corporate rules; performs a risk assessment of the check transaction to authorize or decline the check transaction when the check transaction passes the corporate rules; and processes the check as a cash concentration disbursement (CCD) transaction via an automated clearing house (ACH) when the check is authorized.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the check processing service performs the risk assessment of the check based at least partly on the information about the check to determine whether to authorize or decline the check.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processing service determines whether to authorize or decline the check based at least partly on a type of service subscribed by the merchant.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the check processing service guarantees or purchases the check from the merchant for checks that the check processing service authorizes thereby assuming a risk associated with the check transaction.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the check is the corporate check comprises determining whether the auxiliary on-us field is present on the left side of the check's transit field.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising obtaining an image of at least a portion of the check upon determination that the check is the corporate check.

7. An apparatus for processing a check comprising: a scanning component adapted to scan at least a portion of a check received by a merchant at a merchant location to obtain information about the check that facilitates electronic processing of the check wherein the scanned portion of the check includes a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) line imprinted on the check; a processor configured to determine that the check is a corporate check when the MICR line comprises an auxiliary on-us field, wherein the processor is further configured to indicate that the check is the corporate check when the auxiliary on-us field is present; and a communication component that facilitates communicating the indication and the information about the check to a check processing service that authorizes or declines a check transaction associated with the check; wherein the check processing service: applies selected corporate rules to the check transaction when the indication indicates that the check is the corporate check; notifies the merchant to process the check as a paper check when the check transaction fails the corporate rules; performs a risk assessment of the check transaction to authorize or decline the check transaction when the check transaction passes the corporate rules; and processes the check as a cash concentration disbursement (CCD) transaction via an automated clearing house (ACH) when the check is authorized.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processing service performs the risk assessment of the check based at least partly on the information about the check to determine whether to authorize or decline the check.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processing service determines whether to authorize or decline the check based at least partly on a type of service subscribed by the merchant.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the check processing service guarantees or purchases the check from the merchant for checks that the check processing service authorizes thereby assuming a risk associated with the check transaction.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processor determines whether the check is the corporate check by determining whether the auxiliary on-us field is present on the left side of the check's transit field.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the processor further induces obtaining of an image of at least a portion of the check upon determination that the check is the corporate check.

13. A method of processing a check transaction comprising: obtaining information about a check transaction to allow at least a portion of subsequent processing of the check transaction to be performed electronically; determining whether the check transaction is a corporate check transaction or a non-corporate check transaction based on the presence or absence of a field associated with the information about the check transaction; indicating that the check transaction is the corporate check transaction when the field is present; and communicating the indication and the information about the check transaction to a check processing service that authorizes or declines the check transaction; wherein the check processing service: applies selected corporate rules to the check transaction when the indication indicates that the check transaction is the corporate check transaction; notifies a merchant to process the check transaction as a paper check transaction when the check transaction fails the corporate rules; performs a risk assessment of the check transaction to authorize or decline the check transaction when the check transaction passes the corporate rules; and processes the check as a cash concentration disbursement (CCD) transaction via an automated clearing house (ACH) when the check transaction is authorized.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein obtaining information about the check transaction comprises scanning a check.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein scanning the check includes reading a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) line imprinted on the check.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein determining whether the check transaction is a corporate check transaction comprises determining the presence or absence of an auxiliary on-us field on the MICR line wherein the presence of the auxiliary on-us field is indicative of the corporate check transaction.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein determining the presence or absence of the auxiliary on-us field on the MICR line comprises determining whether the auxiliary on-us field is present on the left side of the check's transit field.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the field comprises an auxiliary on-us field on a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) line associated with the corporate check transaction.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the check processing service performs the risk assessment of the check transaction based at least partly on the information about the check transaction to determine whether to authorize or decline the check transaction.

20. The method of claim 13 , wherein the check processing service determines whether to authorize or decline the check transaction based at least partly on a type of service subscribed by a merchant.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the type of service includes the check processing service guaranteeing the check transaction or purchasing the check transaction from the merchant for checks that the check processing service authorizes thereby assuming a risk associated with the check transaction.

22. The method of claim 13 , further comprising obtaining and retaining an image of at least a portion of a check associated with the check transaction upon determination that the check transaction is the corporate check transaction.

23. A method of conducting a financial transaction, comprising: obtaining information about a financial transaction to allow at least a portion of subsequent processing of the financial transaction to be performed electronically wherein the information is obtained via an electronic device associated with a merchant involved in the financial transaction, wherein the financial transaction comprises a check transaction; determining whether the check transaction is a corporate type transaction or a non-corporate type transaction based on the presence or absence of a field associated with the information, wherein determination of whether the financial transaction is the corporate or the non-corporate type is performed at the electronic device associated with the merchant; indicating that the check transaction is the corporate type transaction if the field is present; and communicating the indication and the information about the check transaction to a check processing service that authorizes or declines the check transaction; applying selected corporate rules to the check transaction when the indication indicates that the check transaction is the corporate type transaction; notifying the merchant to process the check transaction as a paper check transaction when the check transaction fails the corporate rules; performing a risk assessment of the check transaction to authorize or decline the check transaction when the check transaction passes the corporate rules; and processing the check transaction as a cash concentration disbursement (CCD) transaction via an automated clearing house (ACH) when the check transaction is authorized.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein obtaining information comprises scanning a check.

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein obtaining information comprises capturing information input into a computing device.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the computing device is configured to perform a web based financial transaction.

27. The method of claim 23 , wherein obtaining information comprises capturing information input into a telephone during a telephone based financial transaction.

28. The method of claim 23 , wherein obtaining information includes reading magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) information associated with the check transaction.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein determining whether the check transaction is the corporate type or the non-corporate type transaction comprises determining whether the MICR information includes an auxiliary on-us field wherein the presence of the auxiliary on-us field is indicative that the check transaction is the corporate type transaction.

30. The method of claim 23 , wherein the check processing service performs the risk assessment of the check transaction based at least partly on the information about the check transaction to determine whether to authorize or decline the check transaction.

31. The method of claim 23 , wherein the check processing service determines whether to authorize or decline the check transaction based at least partly on a type of service subscribed by the merchant.

32. The method of claim 31 , wherein the type of service includes the check processing service guaranteeing the check transaction or purchasing the check transaction from the merchant for checks that the check processing service authorizes thereby assuming a risk associated with the check transaction.

33. The method of claim 23 , further comprising obtaining and retaining an image of at least a portion of a check for financial transactions involving checks upon determination that the financial transaction is the corporate type.

34. An apparatus for conducting a financial transaction, comprising: an electronic device that obtains information about a financial transaction wherein the electronic device is configured to capture a field associated with the information and wherein the electronic device is associated with a merchant involved in the financial transaction; and a processor configured to induce the capture of the field and to detect the presence of the field, wherein the processor determines whether the financial transaction is a corporate type transaction or a non-corporate type transaction based on the presence or absence of the field, and the processor provides an indication that the financial transaction is the corporate type transaction when the field is present, wherein the financial transaction comprises a check transaction and wherein a check processing service: applies selected corporate rules to the check transaction when the indication indicates that the check transaction is the corporate type transaction; notifies a merchant to process the check transaction as a paper check transaction when the check transaction fails the corporate rules; performs a risk assessment of the check transaction to authorize or decline the check transaction when the check transaction passes the corporate rules; and processes the check transaction as a cash concentration disbursement (CCD) transaction via an automated clearing house (ACH) when the check transaction is authorized.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the electronic device comprises a check scanner adapted to capture at least a portion of a check the check scanner scans.

36. The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the electronic device comprises a computing device configured to capture the information about the check transaction.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 , wherein the computing device is configured to perform a web based financial transaction.

38. The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the electronic device comprises a telephone based device adapted to allow a telephone based financial transaction.

39. The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the information about the financial transaction obtained by the electronic device includes magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) information associated with the check transaction.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 , wherein the processor determines whether the check transaction is a corporate type or a non-corporate type transaction by determining whether the MICR information includes an auxiliary on-us field wherein the presence of the auxiliary on-us field is indicative that the check transaction is the corporate type transaction.

41. The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the processor denotes the information about the check transaction in a manner that allows processing of the check transaction as the corporate check transaction if the field is present.

42. The apparatus of claim 34 , further comprising a communication component configured to communicate the information about the check transaction to the check processing service that authorizes or declines the check transaction.

43. The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the check processing service performs the risk assessment of the check transaction based at least partly on the information about the check transaction to determine whether to authorize or decline the check transaction.

44. The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the check processing service determines whether to authorize or decline the check transaction based at least partly on a type of service subscribed by the merchant.

45. The apparatus of claim 44 , wherein the type of service includes the check processing service guaranteeing the check transaction or purchasing the check transaction from the merchant for checks that the check processing service authorizes thereby assuming a risk associated with the check transaction.

46. The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the processor obtains an image of at least a portion of a check for financial transactions involving checks upon determination that the financial transaction is the corporate type.

47. An apparatus for conducting a financial transaction, comprising: means for reading magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) information from a check associated with a check transaction; means for determining that the check transaction is a corporate type transaction when the MICR information includes an auxiliary on-us field; means for indicating that the check transaction is the corporate type transaction when the auxiliary on-us field is present; and means for communicating the indication and the information about the check transaction to a check processing service that authorizes or declines the check transaction, the check processing service comprising: means for applying selected corporate rules to the check transaction when the indication indicates that the check is a corporate check; means for notifying a merchant to process the check as a paper check when the check transaction fails the corporate rules; means for performing a risk assessment of the check transaction to authorize or decline the check transaction when the check transaction passes the corporate rules; and means for processing the check transaction as a cash concentration disbursement (CCD) transaction via an automated clearing house (ACH) when the check transaction is authorized.

48. The apparatus of claim 47 , wherein the information about the check transaction is obtained by scanning the check.

49. The apparatus of claim 47 , wherein the information about the check transaction is obtained by a computing device.

50. The apparatus of claim 49 , wherein the computing device is configured to perform a web based financial transaction.

51. The apparatus of claim 47 , wherein the information about the check transaction is obtained by a telephone based device adapted to perform a telephone based financial transaction.

52. The apparatus of claim 47 , wherein the check processing service performs the risk assessment of the check based at least partly on the information about the check transaction to determine whether to authorize or decline the check.

53. The apparatus of claim 47 , wherein the check processing service determines whether to authorize or decline the check transaction based at least partly on a type of service subscribed by a merchant.

54. The apparatus of claim 53 , wherein the type of service includes the check processing service guaranteeing the check transaction or purchasing the check transaction from the merchant for checks that the check processing service authorizes thereby assuming a risk associated with the check transaction.

55. The apparatus of claim 47 , wherein the means for determining further comprises obtaining an image of at least a portion of a check for financial transactions involving checks upon determination that the financial transaction is the corporate type.